Try Skull and Bones on PS5 for free (briefly) in February 2024 Players can access Ubisoft's pirate adventure Skull and Bones for free in the open beta weekend from Thursday, February 8, 2024, until Sunday, February 11.Jack Ridsdale Published 29 Jan 2024 FollowtopicsPlayStation 5Jack Ridsdale The Skull and Bones open beta will begin next month, running across the weekend starting from Thursday, February 8, 2024, until Sunday, February 11. Players on PS5 can install the beta simply by searching the game name in the PlayStation Store, though be warned matey — the are no Skull and Bones trophies to be had in the beta. Skull and Bones is certainly one of the most highly anticipated upcoming PS5 games.Skull and Bones beta introduces a new locationFans can preload the game from February 6 and will be able to reach Tier 6, Rank 1 Brigand before hitting the level cap. Cross-progression and cross-play are enabled, and players can also carry over their progress to the main game at launch.In the beta, players can explore several locations, starting with the Red Isle off of the coast of Africa. This patch of land is home to the pirate den of Sainte-Anne, run by local kingpin John Scurlock. This den is a safe zone that will be the setting of the start of your journey in Skull and Bones. Here, you can interact with other players, and craft ships, weapons, and equipment. You can also access your warehouse where you can store loot.While Red Isle was featured in previous closed betas, a whole new area will come to this new open beta, in the form of The East Indies. In Telok Penjarah, this region's pirate den, you'll discover new challenges and factions for you to join or oppose in battle.Players will be able to make progress through the main campaign, up until a contract called 'Exterminate the Rat'. Although main campaign progression will be halted here, players can still complete side contracts, bounties, and World Events to earn more loot and silver.There are also a handful of participation rewards including a cannon weapon, ship cosmetics, a sign language emote, and an adorable pet lemur. Speaking of pets, players can unlock the scruffy ship pet, the Snow Leopard, by watching one hour of Skull and Bones Twitch streams with drops enabled.Skull and Bones has had a turbulent development cycle, having been first revealed in 2017 with a fall 2018 release window. After six delays, Ubisoft finally settled on a release date of February 16. The game's troubled development cycle began in 2013, originally conceptualized as an expansion for Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag. Despite the troubled history of Skull and Bones, I'm curious to see how this seafaring adventure plays out, even if it's just a multiplayer spin on Black Flag's impressive ship combat. The many years the game has spent languishing in development hell is certainly tempering my excitement, however.Recently rumours have surfaced of a potential Black Flag remake, which would also see a return to seafaring combat. Are you excited to set sail in Skull and Bones' open beta? Let us know your thoughts about Skull and Bones over a flagon of ale… or perhaps just in the comment section below.Related stories: Assassin's Creed Black Flag PS5 remake will lead absurd series roadmap Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag remake is just the beginning for PS5 Skull and Bones had 87% less PS5 players than Sea of Thieves last week Assassin’s Creed Black Flag’s PS5 remake — why it needs to happen Skull and Bones' busted PS5 platinum trophy has finally been fixed PlayStation 5Upcoming Release Written by Jack RidsdaleJack is primarily a fan of big, dumb, action games with a soft spot for some Japanese quirkiness. His favorite game series include Metal Gear Solid, Call of Duty, The Last of Us, and Marvel's Spider-Man. He has a keen interest in the business of video games, and complicated opinions about Final Fantasy VII Remake.